Whippets set up high-stakes clash with Cougars, Red Devils

By DENNY DYROFF, Journal Register News Service

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

WEST GOSHEN -- The showdown is set. Circle your calendars for April 17. The “Brawl for It All” is ready to go down.

Downingtown West’s girls did what they had to do at Wednesday’s track and field meet against West Chester Henderson and host West Chester East to ensure their place in the double dual meet next week that should decide which team finishes first in the Ches-Mont League National Division.

Next week, Downingtown West and Avon Grove will pay a visit to Downingtown East for a meet that is pretty much in the “winner take all” category.

On Wednesday, the Whippets knocked off Henderson, 91-58, and posted a 102-47 win over the host Vikings. Henderson’s girls salvaged a split with a 91-53 victory over East. Downingtown West and Avon Grove are tied for first in the National Division with 3-0 records, while Downingtown East is currently 2-0.

In the boys meet, Henderson improved to 3-1 in National Division competition with a 99-50 win over West Chester East and an 89-59 win over Downingtown West. The Whippets returned home even for the day with a 97-53 victory over the host squad.

In this week’s double dual against the West Chester schools, the Downingtown West girls were able to log a pair of victories using a potent combination of strength in the field and depth on the track.

The Whippets finished first in four of the seven field events. Stacey Wolverton took first place in high jump with a height of 5-0 and teammate Stef O’Neill placed first in pole vault at 7-0.

In the throwing events, West’s Erica Hudson topped the field in discus with a heave of 94-9 while Jamie Collins finished first in shot put with a distance of 33-1.5.

The Whippets had just one individual winner on the track -- but she was a doublewinner. Michele Turnbach started the meet with a win in the 100-meter hurdles at 19.24. She came back later in the meet to place first in the 300 hurdles with a clocking of 52.60.

he only other individual doublewinner in the girls meet was West Chester East’s Dominique Lofland. The Vikes’ speedy freshman started with a win in the 100 with a clocking of 12.95. She teamed with Lindsay Pratt, Melissa Petty and Allison Hall on East’s first-place 4x100 and then ended the day with a win in the 200 at 26.72.

“The 200 felt great,” said Lofland. “I hugged the curve and used my arms more. And, I fought very well -- fought the tiredness I was feeling in my legs. The 100 felt really good, too. I came out well but I still need a little more block work.”

The Vikings also took first in the 4x400 at 4:09.20 with the foursome of Devon Towell, Kayla Jones, Lizzy Duguid and Anja Kochendoerfer. Individually, Kochendoerfer claimed a win in the 400 at 59.40 and Towell won the 800 with a time of 2:18.43.

“A 2:18 is pretty darn good for a dual meet,” said Towell, who edged Henderson’s Natalie Deacon. “I don’t get a chance to race Natalie Deacon much -- especially in a dual meet. I got third at indoor states and she got second. To race her in a dual meet tells you all you need to know about Ches-Mont track.

“I knew after seeing her run the 4x800 and the mile already today that she should be tired for the 800. The first 400 felt very smooth -- just how I wanted it so I could pick it up for the last 400.”

Deacon said, “It’s always fun racing against Devon. Even though I had already run the mile and the 4x800, my legs felt all right. But, coming into the last 200, my legs didn’t feel too good and that’s when I decided to back off.”

Deacon ran on the winning 4x800 relay along with Steph Aldrich, Mariel Moy and Taylor Kitchen. Aldrich posted a win in the 1600 at 5:35.11 and took first in the 3200 at 12:07.06. The Warriors’ other individual winners were Avery Fulkstein, who won long jump with a distance of 15-0; Lexi Steffen, who topped the field in triple jump at 32-6; and Victoria Dennis, who won the javelin with a throw of 103-0.

In the boys meet, Henderson took first in seven of the eight individual running events and added a win in the 4x800 relay. The Warriors also took first in two of the three throwing events, with Tim Specht winning both shot put (43-2) and discus (123-1).

Steve Thompson accounted for Henderson’s other win in the field when he took first in high jump at 5-10. He also swept the hurdles events with winning times of 16.80 in the 110 hurdles and 42.37 in the 300 hurdles. He also added a runner-up finish in triple jump.

“I was really happy with my 300 hurdles,” said Thompson, a junior. “I had a p.r. (personal record) in both hurdles races. I just started doing the 300s recently and my times are starting to come down.

“Having nice weather helps -- especially in the jumps. My triple jump was really good today. I was a little tired from the hurdles but all my phases felt good. I was in first until the last jump.”

ason Hall also came through as an individual doublewinner for the Warriors when he took the 400 with a time of 51.84 and the 200 in 23.20.

“Both my times today were season bests,” said Hall, a senior. “The weather was finally on spot to run fast. It helps. I really liked the 200 today. I was able to beat a guy (Downingtown West’s Leon Williams) that I didn’t think I’d be able to get.”

In the 800, Henderson’s Kevin Moy teamed up with Downingtown West’s Ryan Markle to produce the most exciting finish of the meet. Coming down the final stretch, Moy put on a kick worthy of a highlight film and passed Markle just before the finish. Moy clocked a 2:00.11 and Markle crossed at 2:00.76.

“I ran the race I wanted,” said Moy, a junior. “I just took it out and let someone else set the pace. Then, it picked up in the last 300 and I passed one West kid with about 200 to go. I didn’t think I’d be able to catch him (Markle). He’s a pretty good runner. I was surprised at the finish.”

Henderson’s other first-place finishers were Tony Russell in the 1600 (4:23.17), Reiny Barchet in the 3200 (9:59.07) and the 4x800 foursome of Jeff Aldrich, Seamus Collins, Gordy Barchet and Moy.

Downingtown West’s Blair Wilkins was a triple winner with victories in triple jump with a distance of 42-5 and long jump with a leap of 21-1. The Whippets’ Leon Williams took first in the 100 at 11.82 and teamed with Cam Holmes, Elijah Tinson and Wilkins on the winning 4x100 relay.

West Chester East saved its best for last when it took first in the 4x400 relay at 3:36.10 with the quartet of Sean Dougherty, Jessie Rogers, Alex Hughes and Eric Diestelow. Also, the Vikes’ Tom Ranson picked up a win in javelin with a toss of 139-9.